


If Only You Could Hear My Voice

by Zeddexx



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Arranged Marriage, BAMF Chyna, Childhood Friends, Concubines, Dancing, Drinking, F/F, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff, Hunter is tired, I'm Sorry, M/M, More angst, Shawn is a brat, The two d's, What else is new, shawn and hunter are both idiots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 02:27:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30098871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zeddexx/pseuds/Zeddexx
Summary: I'm not sure what popped into my head but here it is. Thanks to everyone who's discussed this with me and helped flesh out the story :) More chapters coming soon, consider this a V E R Y long prologue. I hope it's not too cheesy, lol. Thanks for reading!
Relationships: Bret Hart/Shawn Michaels, Scott Hall | Razor Ramon/Kevin Nash, Shawn Michaels/Triple H, Stephanie McMahon/Triple H
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	If Only You Could Hear My Voice

The palace had over one thousand windows, contained more than four hundred rooms, and covered a sprawling estate of almost thirty five acres. Vast as it was, it was still difficult for a small royal to find anywhere he wouldn’t be noticed. Hunter had prized a few precious hours out of the seemingly endless schedule of events, training and tutoring that faced a young prince, and he was going to enjoy it. He rushed through the halls of the palace until he reached an arched doorway to the outside. He would be safer in the gardens.

The royal gardens spilled endlessly out from the walls of the palace, but they tended to be near-devoid of noble life. Perfect. Hunter wandered through the well- tended flowerbeds, listening out for any gardeners or courtiers that might give him away. The gardens were beautiful on days like today, the flowers carefully tended and arranged so that they grew in great lush beds, surrounded by ancient towering trees and various shrubs and thick greenery. Hunter allowed himself to pause for a moment to take in the life around him. Why on earth did the other nobles avoid coming here? 

Suddenly, Hunter heard low humming from around the corner of the garden path, followed by the unmistakable clank of armour. He looked around in a panic before diving into a spacious-looking bush as the guard’s footsteps approached. It wasn't until he hastily sat down, felt someone's leg beneath him and heard a squeak that he realized he had company. “Oof! What the-?” seemingly unbothered by Hunter’s weight, the boy covered his mouth with a small hand, glaring viciously. Hunter was stunned into silence. No one had ever dared to look at him so… naturally. They sat in shocked silence for a moment, blue eyes boring into Hunter, almost daring him to give them away. After a while, the boy turned his head, seemingly listening for anyone else. His fears apparently calmed, he whipped back to Hunter, ripped his hand away and hissed at him.

“What the heck do you think you’re doing? This spot is mine.” Wrapped more than dressed in a shirt that nearly fell off one shoulder and a pair of very well worn breeches, he was clearly from a world apart from the noble children Hunter was usually pushed to play with. 

"Really? Well, this whole garden is mine." Hunter bit back. The boy seemed surprised. He glared for a moment longer, then fell into a fit of giggles. "Nice try, silly. But really, what are you doing here? I've never seen anyone my age around."

"Well, I need to stay hidden, so I came out here because I knew there would be less guards."

"Me too! I'll be in big trouble if I get caught, so I hide here to play."

"You play alone? Surely that can't be much fun."

"It's alright, I like to pretend I'm commanding an army! I have these soldiers and horses and things that I made all by myself!" The boy blurted excitedly, gesturing towards a pile of sticks and stones bound into vague shapes with twine. "But I s'pose it would be nice to battle against someone."

"Maybe.. we could play together?" Hunter suggested hopefully. "I have army toys too."

"Ooh, yes! That would be so much fun! You can borrow some of mine for now!" Said Hunter's newfound friend, shoveling some of the crude figures into his lap. "Whoops, I forgot! My name's Shawn! What's yours?"

"I'm Hunter! And, er, what is this?" He replied, holding up a small leafy… thing.

"A horse! See, four legs!"

They played for hours, creating hills, rivers and valleys with the dirt they could dig from the surrounding flowerbeds. Shawn was surprisingly methodical, just as excited as he had initially been but always making sure to carefully arrange his figures into the best positions and order he could think of before smashing them into Hunter's 'troops'. Hunter was having the time of his life. Games with his usual playmates took place in pristine nurseries, structured, sterile and always tensely competitive. But as he 'battled' with Shawn, the twigs in his hair and soil rubbing into his sleeves went unnoticed.

As the sun began to set, Shawn glanced up sharply from jumping one of his knights up and down on Hunter's king. The wide smile abruptly dropped from his face. "I need to go, they're going to miss me." He started piling up his toys, and rose into a crouch, dusting himself off.

"Wait! Will you be here tomorrow? I'd really like to play again."

The smile came back. "Really? That would be fantastic! I'll be here for sure. I sneak away almost every afternoon." Turning serious, Shawn looked straight into Hunter's eyes again. "This is our secret. You mustn't tell anybody about it, promise?"

Holding the gaze, Hunter stared straight back with all the seriousness of his father making a decree. "I promise. No one else will ever find out." Then, as Shawn turned back to leave, "I'll meet you here again tomorrow! I bet I'll beat you next time!"

"Dream on!" Giggled Shawn, before looking both ways to check for guards and sprinting off at top speed. Hunter tidied his appearance as best he could, then hurried back into the palace. Hopefully, everyone had been busy enough that they hadn't thought to look for him. 

\----------‐---------‐------------------------

When Hunter returned the next afternoon, Shawn was already there, looking slightly exhausted but still bouncing with excitement to see his new friend. "You look tired, have you been doing combat training? I just had it too." 

Shawn was apparently wowed. "Combat? If only. 'm not allowed to do any of that, I just stupid dance and conversation practice every morning, n' then most days I have even more to do afterwards." 

"Awww. That's boring, combat is the only fun part of my lessons. What kind of dance do you do?"

"I dunno, it's kinda funny to explain if you don't see it. It's not like normal dancing where you have a partner and you're in a big group, you dance on your own for people to watch. I can't do it properly yet, I mostly have to practice bending so that I can do the moves." 

"Ooh, can you fold yourself up?"

"Yes! Madame Sherri says I'm the quickest learner she's ever seen!". Shawn puffed his chest out. Obviously a compliment from someone so great as the mysterious Sherri was impressive indeed.

"Can I see?" 

Shawn shook his head firmly. "No. You'll think it's shameful. Everyone outside the quarters says so."

"No, I promise I won't!"

Shawn crossed his arms. "Yes you will. You'll laugh at me." 

"Pleeeease? I'll show you my sword tricks!"

"Fine. But they better be impressive."

Shawn stood and slowly began to bend backwards. Further and further he went, until he was walking his head out between his legs. Hunter stared, open-mouthed. "That's amazing!"

Shawn smiled hesitantly at his friend's praise.

"Thank you. I've never had anyone from outside say that before."

"You deserve it, you're so skilled! Imagine using that in battle!"

Shawn deflated a little at that. "Yeah… that would be fantastic. I wish I could train like you."

\----------------------------------------

The boys returned to their spot as often as they could, devising endless methods to hoodwink their way out of afternoon responsibilities. After a few months, as the days were turning colder and the nights longer, Hunter noticed that he could see Shawn's head poking out of the foliage as he approached. Maybe it was time for a new spot.

After a lot of covert scouting, they decided on the bean patch, the lush stalks and thick leaves towering over them quite well. They had to ditch that spot after two months when Shawn realized that harvest season was coming. They jumped from hedges, to topiary animals, to plum tree branches, to the tops of old pines, but eventually each spot had to be abandoned as it was outgrown. 

For a while they met behind statues for shorter periods, until one day Shawn arrived looking very smug. He kept his 'secret' throughout their time together, until Hunter prepared to leave, and Shawn grabbed his arm to pull him back in, whispering smilingly into his ear. " Meet me at our first spot tonight."

Once the sun was finally, mercifully gone from the sky, and Hunter could at last tear himself away from yet another stifling 'family' dinner with all 100-odd members of the higher court, he giddily sprinted down to the gardens. He idled by the bushes (which now seemed so very small), paring his nails with a penknife over and over again. A sudden "Boo!" And a figure jumping onto his back startled him. "Shawn! I might have stabbed myself!" 

" I know you wouldn't. You're too skilled with the blade." Shawn grinned, making a whooshing noise and whipping his hand through the air like a sword. "Come on, we need to get to our new hideout as soon as we can. You're such a big lunk we probably already have guards headed this way."

Shawn grabbed his hand and dragged Hunter through the gardens, ducking occasionally to hide from nearing sounds. Further and further they went. Well-polished marble plates gave way to painted tile, beautiful but clearly neglected for some time. Normally crisp hedges and vines spilled out into the path, and Shawn led on. After what felt like an eternity, they stopped at an old rotunda. "What do you think? I found it when you were hunting last week!" 

Hunter could see his family's crest emblazoned around the marquee, slightly obscured by moss in places but still recognizable. "Are you sure we won't be noticed? This is obviously still royal property." 

"Sure we won't! I lost track of time and stayed here for a few hours too many and nobody came by! I still got in trouble when I got back, but we're definitely safe while we're here."

After some strong wheedling from Shawn, Hunter relinquished the short sword he kept on his belt. Shawn dove headfirst into the overgrowth, cutting and tearing until they had an entrance. They cleared all they could, and soon the pretty little rotunda and its surrounding gardens were free of weeds and ready to be played in. 

From then on, they had a home.

Some days, Hunter arrived exhausted or limping, too sore from sparring with other knights in training to properly play. Shawn would have to cajole him through the gardens until they were hidden, and would then spend the afternoon doing his best to relieve his friend. He used the massage techniques he was learning, dextrous fingers teasing the knots out of his body. "Shut up, Hunner!" "But it hurts!" "It'll hurt even more if someone hears you and finds us, idiot!" 

When small, inexperienced hands couldn't do enough, Shawn tried to distract Hunter instead. He recounted all he could remember of fireside tales his siblings had told him back home, smiling proudly at Hunter's awe when he told him about magical sailors and giant birds. When he ran out of stories, he told the more mundane stories. The time that his brothers had jumped into a river swarming with eels, or his sister that used to play pranks by imitating bird calls.

The two boys looked forward to each other. But as they grew, they had increasingly little else. 

\----‐------------------------------------

One day, Shawn shuffled late into the rotunda, head hung low. He'd been missing the day before, and snapped at Hunter when asked why. "I was busy, alright? I'm growing up, we don't all have endless freedom." His hair was loose, draped around his face instead of braided or tucked behind his ears as it usually was. 

"Shawn… Are you alright?"

"Yes. Nothing's the matter. Are you alright?"

"Clearly something is the matter, Shawn. You only act like this when those horrible people have hurt you. Besides, you're much later than usual."

"Why should I tell you? I have my own business sometimes, my own things to do. It's not my fault you were.. s-stupid enough to wait."

"Come on, Shawn."

"Fuck off."

Hunter managed to grab Shawn after a few (rather painful) hits, softly but firmly gripping his sides to pull him in. "Come, Shawn. Something is up. I only want to help." 

In response, Shawn glared, breathed in deeply and swept back his hair. Hunter's eyes blew wide. Shawn's ears were painfully red, with two heavy-looking silver hoops freshly pierced through each lobe. He was downcast as Hunter stared, shocked into silence. 

"Please don't make fun of me, Hunter… I-I didn't want to get them. I swear."

"Shawn, why would I?.."

"They mark me as royal property, a-and I know it's embarrassing for you to be associated with a concubine, but, but- please Hunter, you're the only friend I have."

Hunter was swept up by his feelings. He sat them both down, pulling Shawn in close to his chest to stroke his long golden hair.

"Shawn, you..you're not just property. You're Shawn Michaels. You're my best friend. You're so smart and strong a-and you don't deserve any of this. I would never leave you because of the life you've been forced into."

Hunter could feel his shirt getting wet where Shawn's face was, his trousers definitely dirty from sitting on the bare ground. His father would throw a fit if he showed up to dinner like this but he didn't care. 

"...And Shawn, I don't think you look lowly. They're… really beautiful. I'd like some myself, frankly."

Shawn grinned damply. "I do sort of like how they look. It's just.. the meaning." 

"Of course. There's nothing to be ashamed of. Did it hurt?"

"Not really, the handlers oversaw it but Sherri did it for me and she has a lot of experience."

"Have you ever done it before? For anyone else?"

There was a pause before it dawned on Shawn and he pushed himself off Hunter's chest, grinning up at him.

"Wait, you want me to pierce your ears? Really?"

"Yes, I'd love it. If you must have them, I want some too."

"Alright! I'll meet you back here tomorrow with the things!"

\------------‐-----------------------------

Hunter had been training with real blades for a year or two now, but for some reason the idea of a tiny needle going through his earlobes still frightened him. 

"Here, look!" Shawn picked something out of a bag. "I got you these hoops from one of the girls, so that you can hide them easily. Hunt? You alright?"

He shook off the trepidation. "Yeah, I'm fine. Go for it before someone finds us."

"You mean before you chicken out?"

"Piss o- SHIT!" 

"Language, Hunt." Shawn tsked, cleaning off the needle with a rag soaked in gin. "And hold still, or you'll end up with a hole through your forehead." 

"Here you go, Hunt." A small enameled mirror was shoved into his hands. "You look… really nice. The gold brings out your eyes."

Hunter blushed a little as he turned the mirror to and fro. His face split into a grin "Thanks, Shawn. They look great."

He tackled his friend into a hug on the ground. "Whoah there! Sherri wouldn't cover my ass for a year if you crushed her mirror." Shawn wheezed from beneath him, softening at Hunter's muffled chuckles and reaching up to pat the bigger boy's head. "But really, Thank you Hunt. You don't know how much this means to me."

\-----------------------------------

The next day, as Hunter was wrapping his fists on the benches of the training grounds, disaster struck. Binding his hair with a leather cord to keep it out of his face was a habit after almost ten years. This time, though, having his ears exposed was a little more dangerous.

"Wait a minute, Hunter. What are those?" John, some minor noble's son, pointed to Hunter's ears. "You playing around with the concubines already?"

"They're nothing, John. Leave me alone."  
"Come on, your majesty!" John's tone was more mocking now, the other young nobles turning to look at the commotion. "Who's the lucky girl? She must have a real sweet mouth on her to talk you into that!" John's cronies were crowding around now, sniggers travelling through the group.

"Or is it a boy? I can see why he'd be a dirty little secret!" Hunter glared up at them. "It is a he! Our prince, marked by a harem boy! Whatever will your parents think?". Hunter pushed himself off the bench to stare the other boy down. "They won't think anything, because they won't hear about it. Will they?"

A few boys backed off at that, but the majority stood their ground, having too much fun for sense. "Oh, I don't know, we might have to pay your little boy toy a visit, see how well he can convince us to keep our mouths shut. The handlers punish their concubines pretty badly for socializing with the upper classes, don't they?"

Hunter couldn't help it anymore. He spat right into John's obnoxious fucking face, courtly manners be damned. "You're not touching him, John."

John spluttered. "How dare you?" He swung, but Hunter dodged easily. He smiled. Now that John had thrown the first punch, it was only manly for the prince to defend himself. They weren't getting to Shawn. No one was getting to Shawn.

The fight wasn't long. Hunter was bigger, stronger, and much, much, angrier than John. He stomped on his victim's hand where it lay prone on the ground and grinned at his strangled groan. "I ever hear that you're trying anything? You're dead. There isn't one person in this palace without the sense to take my side." Looking around to make eye contact with every watching student, he continued. "Especially after this." He kicked John right in the ribs, digging in the toe of his boot, and stormed back into the changing rooms.

\---------------------------------

He was called to his father's study that night. This was rare. Even heir to the throne as he was, Hunter was treated as more of an underfoot nuisance than a son, and was palmed off to his tutors whenever possible.

"Son. I have received word that, for some reason, you've decided to become a young barbarian. Would you care to explain yourself?"

"They insulted me, father."

"How so?"

"They threatened... my friend. To insult one's companions is to insult oneself, as you always say."

"Their fathers are great men. And those boys should be your friends. They will be your allies when you are grown. You should be forming alliances and instead you decide to endanger your future and my reputation for some nameless friend? You can't even accomplish the simplest tasks, can you?"

"I hope you aren't socializing with the lower classes, boy. 

"I would never, Father."

"Then what do I hear about you being marked by a concubine?"

Hunter wouldn't make it to the gardens again for about a week.

\------------------------------------------

When Hunter was finally able to slip away from the punishing extra training his father had forced upon him, Shawn was sitting in the rotunda, looking around hopefully and fiddling with the hem of his robes as he approached. His clothes were getting finer, Hunter noticed. They fit better than the ragged hand-me-downs of their childhood, and were often embellished with cheap beads or embroidery.

Shawn's smile blocked out the sun when he finally spotted Hunter, but he gasped when Hunter waved, revealing bruised knuckles and split palms. "What happened to your hands?"

He rushed forward and grimaced in shock when he saw how battered his friend was. "Shit, what happened to you?"

"One of the other students, he noticed the earrings." Shawn looked terrified and Hunter raced to calm him down. "But don't worry Shawn, I beat the shit out of him! I promise you, he looks ten times worse than I do."

Shawn wasn't proud like Hunter had expected. Instead, his mouth formed a hard, worried line. "Sit down and stay here. I'll be back in a bit." 

Shawn returned with a few rags and a jar of ointment and began washing and wrapping Hunter's wounds, telling him off the entire time.

"You're an idiot, Hunter. You're an absolute fool. I'm used to treatment like that, alright? I've been called every name in the book, I get shoved around, and you know what I do? I keep my head down and stay quiet and just take it because it's better for me!"

"Shawn..." 

"I belong to the palace, do you understand that? There's no sense in getting beat up and noticed for my sake." 

"Shawn, please." 

"I can only imagine what will happen to you, I don't want you getting whipped or starved or something for me! Damn it Hunter, why couldn't you just take it? " 

"Shawn."

"I.. Hunter, I couldn't bear not seeing you again.. you're my favorite person. Please apologize to them or something. For me. For us. Promise you will."

"Shawn, listen. They won't suspect a thing. They won't dare. I promise you, Shawn… I'm going to keep fighting. No one is ever going to pull us apart."

\------------------------------------------

Hunter crept back into his room as the sun drooped lazily below the horizon, its last rays mixing with the clouds to dye the sky a moody violet. 

"Oh, son. You never fail to disappoint us, do you?"

"Father, I-"

"You might as well get rid of the boy, you know. You won't have any time for silly little flings with a kingdom and an engagement to manage."

Hunter's heart skipped a beat. "What?"

"We forged a deal with the Mcmahon dynasty to the east. You're going to be wed to Princess Stephanie to prove our commitment."

"That's bullshit! I'd rather-"

"Shut up, boy. If you won't behave for your own sake, I have an idea…. Your little friend is training to be a concubine, isn't he?" 

Hunter paled.

"That means that he belongs to the palace.... So he belongs to me. It would be a pity if I had to have him punished for your indiscretions."

"Y-you can't. We've done nothing wrong!"

"I certainly didn't raise an insolent, thuggish loudmouth. Your mother didn't. Nor did we pay any of your tutors to do so. Your behavior doesn't belie royal heritage at all. It's more like... a peasant. The way I see it, that boy deserves the bulk of the blame."

"No, he fucking doesn't! It's your fault for prioritizing the kingdom over your own son!"

The king was done playing at bargains with his son. "If one more idiotic word comes out of your mouth, I'll have that boy dragged in here and given thirty lashes while you keep count." His muscular frame hissed out laughter at Hunter's horrified expression.

Hunter gave up. "Fine, father, I'll fulfill my duty. Please, just leave him alone."

"You're a smart boy, Hunter. But I've obviously been neglecting your education- you don't understand what it means to be king in the slightest. A few weeks under my wing, and I doubt you'll remember him at all."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure what popped into my head but here it is. Thanks to everyone who's discussed this with me and helped flesh out the story :) More chapters coming soon, consider this a V E R Y long prologue. I hope it's not too cheesy, lol. Thanks for reading!


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